The sweet smell of Lush?

After a disastrous press event last week where I left in a humph, Lush sent me a proper press pack and some samples of their new Gorilla Perfumes. I’ve read through the press releases, processed the information and can happily say with all confidence… I now know who Mark and Simon are!! (If you don’t find this amusing then you definitely need to read my previous post.) I now feel fully briefed so we’re going to give this another go.

The two founders of Lush are father and son and both have a background in fragrance. This is why they chose to develop a range of perfumes with real back stories, taking inspirations from places they’ve been and people they’ve met. They believe that their products should be seen as works of art, hence the ‘exhibition’ styled event that I got to visit last week… all is now clear. It’s refreshing to find people that want to take a step away from elaborate marketing campaigns and celebrity models, focusing on the smell and the way it makes a women feel. I loved the stories behind each individual fragrance; it makes it all the more precious.

So, what of the actual perfumes? I was sent four of the eight fragrances and this is how they rate…

Imogen Rose Named after Simon’s daughter and taking inspiration from the beautiful rose harvests in Turkey, this fragrance is very musky, floral and reminds me of a talc-covered baby! Not normally my cup of tea, but definitely growing on me, this would be perfect for someone who wants to lighten up their normal heavy, floral scent for the summer months.

Smell of Freedom This fragrance is built up of three individual scents, mixed together to form a final smell. The Smell of Freedom tells the story of three inspirational people Simon met on his travels, all who have experienced some kind of hardship which forced them to fight for their freedom. The result is a citrus scent with hints of ginger, as well as a slight hint of rustic dirt – but in a good way! I could imagine wearing this to festivals or somewhere where you want your fragrance to blend in to the background, whilst still being distinctive.

Orange Blossom My favourite of the bunch, this does what it says on the tin. A very fresh, orangey scent with hints of honey and wood so not to make it too citrus-ey. I love my citrus fragrances so this is perfect for me and one I’ll be wearing all summer long. Simon wanted to keep this one simple, and it works.

Lust Mark wanted to create a really dirty, sexy scent that encourages you to lose yourself in the moment. This fragrance is sweeter than the rest, very floral and girly without being sickly sweet aka Britney Spears. Again, floral fragrances aren’t normally my thing, but this certainly has a something-something that I like. I’m sure this scent will fly off the shelves.

All the fragrances offer you something different. What I like about them is that they change throughout the day by reacting to your body, so you’ll never smell manufactured or same-y while wearing them. You can even mix and match, creating your own individual scent from the collection. It’s refreshing to know where these ideas come from and that so much thought has gone into producing them. They’ve even made sure there are various sizes and forms available to suit every need and budget – from small atomisers to larger bottles, fragrance bars and scented candles, all bases are covered. They’re not released until August but put the date in your diary and go try them out for yourselves. Lush, you have been redeemed!